ROGUE
by The Lad and The Wildcat
Summary: Thirty years in the future the world as you know it has changed. Countries are without borders, Free cities harbour fugitives and an Empire seeks to conquer all. The former NATO Alliance, now UEG is run by corporation heads with an elected President who lives in The Citadel. To combat its enemies the UEG recruit special children to become operatives. To become ROGUES.
1. Prologue

_"The world you know doesn't exist. Countries are without borders. Free Cities harbour fugitives from The Great War and The Purge that followed after. We have no jurisdiction in these cities. They hold on to a forgotten and dead past that brought destruction. Unwilling to move forward, they fortify themselves behind their walls, thinking they're safe. Thinking that somehow they can bring down what many of us sacrificed to achieve. At least that's what we were taught. What I was taught."_

 _"During the second decade of the twenty first century, super powers clashed on political fronts. Threats of action and military deployments, trade embargoes, construction and oil shortages led to a catastrophic outcome: war. It started off on a small section of the globe, but it was only the tipping point; the match that lit fires of destruction."_

 _"When The Great War broke out, hundreds of thousands fought in the name of Freedom. The Korean Peninsula was ground zero with the North, a communist-led regime, attacking the South. NATO had no choice but to respond, and within two years, they claimed their victory. But it was short-lived. China sought to expand in the surrounding regions, pushing their boundaries aggressively, and NATO responded with non-aggressive action. Russia, however, did not. To defend itself, it fortified and invaded Ukraine, and what followed six months later was utter chaos."_

 _"Humanity's greatest fear happened. A Third World War. Europe and NATO clashed with Russia and her allies, China forced its armies into Korea and Russia. Iran blockaded the Hormuz Straight that cut off oil to the West. And when NATO attacked, the Middle East erupted and called for a Holy War. For seven years the world fought against itself, exploiting and draining its precious resources, and the corporations grew fat from the profits. The cost was too great, and the governments were condemned by their own people."_

 _"Countless cease-fire treaties were proposed only to be rejected, neither side willing to admit defeat or surrender, no matter the cost. It was a time of turmoil and death, of destruction and chaos. The circumstances demanded change. That change came with a reform; the fat corporations took charge of government and military funding. They negotiated the successful cease-fires and focused on one enemy at a time. From there, they created alternative energies and fuel, re-established an elected government, and quietly tipped the scales in NATO's favour."_

 _"Genetically enhanced super soldiers. These soldiers changed the course of the war, and within the next two years, the end was finally in sight. However, defeat was not acceptable to some. The Rain of Fire came next. Russia's nuclear arsenal burned most of Europe in a desperate attempt to claim victory. But it was not so. The corporations could now see the cost for victory, and the order was given to end the war in a single day."_

 _"Today Russia, Korea and the Middle East suffer from Nuclear Winter. Millions cry out from its eerie depths and you can see them at night, like ghostly figures trying to haunt you, blaming us for their destruction. Part of me realises it's true. Yet from those same ashes, we arose stronger. NATO was reformed by the Corporations and became the newly elected government, the United Earth Government or UEG. Most of Europe outside of Russia was rebuilt, and China finally halted its expansion for fear of the UEG attacking. Countries rallied behind the UEG and joined in their cause. Courts and trials were held for previous atrocities, and an Investigation was sanctioned to bring to Justice those that caused the war."_

 _"For three years the world rebuilt and had unity. But such things were never meant to last. The Investigation uncovered conspiracies of Corporate greed, and many sought to bring the corrupt corporations down. Civil unrest broke out in many cities, and they revolted, attacking the UEG in any way they could. One man declared all-out war against the UEG, and many cities rallied with him, breaking away and forming their own professional paramilitaries."_

 _"Chaos and conflict broke out once again, and the UEG Forces clashed with former brothers in arms. The Corporations own elite super soldier division sided with the Rebels and inflicted heavy defeats on the UEG. They destroyed the super soldier research facility and killed the scientists to prevent them from creating more. Terrorist attacks ensued along with numerous government assassinations. After five years, the UEG forces finally neutralised the rebellion and returned once the status quo more. Peace followed, and the leader of the Rebellion went into hiding with his remaining super soldiers. Four Free Cities still remain under The Empire protection."_

 _"To answer the threat of terrorism, the Corporations created a top secret Academy. This Academy would train operatives with the skills to infiltrate these insurgency groups and cut off the heads. It would select children who were deemed special and have them pass an elite selection test of which only four percent would be given a place in their specialised school. From there, perfection was expected, a one hundred percent pass rate required to stay. After graduating, we were thrown back in to the Old World and were only allowed to return when missions were complete."_

 _"I am ROGUE Agent Cameron Morgan, and this is where my story begins."_

 **So I have worked with a friend to improve on this story and I got sidetracked for so long I had forgotten what I had planned on doing with it. Now I have my plot lined out I won't forget it. The story has gotten rewritten, but relatively not much has changed and I hope this fresh look reads better than the last. Thank you.**


	2. Chapter 1

**IRAN – 20 miles outside Bandar Abbas – June 12th 2047 - 1700 HOURS**

 **Rebel Encampment**

The sand and wind continued their growing assault by the minute. Any longer in this desert, and they would be cut off not only from airlift, but they would also be susceptible to the radiation that was coming in with the sandstorm. The city was still twenty or so miles away, but at the pace the storm was coming in, it would be on them in no less than fifteen minutes. Many storms were in the area due to the climate shift from countless nuclear weapons dropped on the cities almost fourteen years prior. Although they could track the radiation spots and the UEG themselves had developed a net made up of particles to keep the radiation spots from moving, they still couldn't prevent it entirely.

Making her way to the command tent, she watched as a towering giant shouted his orders for his men to keep packing. From what she could tell, he was an older man in his forties, perhaps even early fifties. Most likely a veteran of the war by the way he issued his commands with his eyes always scanning out.

"Come on, move it faster men! That's the last load. We don't want to be caught out here a moment longer. You fall behind, you'll be left behind." His voice bellowed across the compound as the wind carried it.

She kept her head low and trudged on till she saw McAllister waiting at the tent opening. She knew he was smiling beneath his scarf. He always smiled when he saw her. A gust of wind picked up, and a few crates came loose from their straps as they were being pushed onto the Air Copter.

"GET DOWN!" came the booming echo of the veteran's voice as the crate was picked up and thrown through the air like a leaf. She turned just in time to dodge the crate as it barrelled towards her at speed. She heard McAllister call out her name, but by then she had steadied her balance and leapt to the side as the crate crashed into another tent.

She brushed her hood back, and her blonde hair whipped aggressively against her sand-covered face. Turning, she saw a McAllister's hand offering to help her up, but she ignored it.

"Another close call for you Ella," McAllister shouted over the wind's vicious howling. "Even Mother Nature seems to want you dead. Still, can't be any worse than the UEG," he chuckled, but Ella just remained quiet and pulled her hood back over her head. Above the howl she could hear the veteran yell obscenities at his men.

Ella pushed past McAllister, and he followed after her. Ella was surprisingly taller than him by a few inches, but where he was broad and wide, she was athletically built, with strong arms and legs from rigorous workout routines. She was all speed and agility and could outlast anyone for stamina in Red Army Division, or R.A.D. as it was more commonly known.

She'd joined up with them nearly twenty months ago after her former command had been wiped out by UEG Forces becoming only one of seven survivors to be captured and transported for questioning. The UEG called it Indoctrination. Heroes and people of the Rebel army and free cities that were captured would be imprisoned for a time and then Indoctrinated into UEG society if they were deemed acceptable. They were then fed daily propaganda of the "wonderful" and "magnificent" life they could have if they joined the UEG.

If only their own people knew the truth. Then they might win this god-forsaken struggle.

Indoctrination was nothing more than advanced interrogation where prisoners were tortured until they revealed information against the Rebels. Luckily for Ella, she escaped the transport ship while also destroying a major communications post that caused disruption to the Eastern block of Europe. A small victory, but enough for her deeds to be recognised by the High Command. She was then transferred up the ladder to the R.A.D.

Ella stopped at the tent door, allowing McAllister to enter first. "Ella is back Sir," he said in a crisp cut tone, standing at attention. Ella removed her hood and threw the left side of her poncho over her shoulder. A Mk II Phaser pistol was strapped to her thigh with another mirroring it on her opposite thigh. Her attire was a mix of tight-fitted clothing covered with light metal armour to protect her vital points. She always kept her weapons off safety, which typically set others on edge. Not because she was distrustful necessarily, just secretive and lonely.

"Ella," Commander Samuel Keith nodded at her. She returned the gesture. "Report."

Ella lifted her goggles revealing her clear, brown eyes. Her face was still a muck with sand and her hair was out of place, but her eyes. They were the only thing pure on her face, which always gave her an uncharacteristically radiant kind of beauty. McAllister just stood there a moment in silence, lost in awe as always.

"Nothing on the coast, we're still clear. I planted the decoys, so it will look like a heavy transport is running through the desert to the east," she said softly, drawing everyone's attention to the 3D map in front of them. "The UEG still have their carrier group in the Strait, but the decoys will attract their attention. Once they launch their fighters, we'll use the distraction to move southwest and meet up with the ship that will transport us back to Oman. From there we cross into the Arab Emirates and to the city. These new weapons will help us in our cause." Ella finished her report and took a step back.

She watched as Samuel and his officers murmured in agreement. "Well done, Ella. You've proved a valuable asset to us, and you'll be glad to know that our time has come. This is the last shipment of weapons to be delivered, and once they are, then we'll be ready."

A cheer erupted in the room as Ella attempted to hide her surprise. "I thought this was the first shipment, Sir?" she questioned. Samuel looked to McAllister, seeking permission to fill her in.

"Ella, we were the last. For us to stay safe and our plans to remain secret, all Divisions were told their shipment was the first. It was only known by the Division Commander and his officers what the actual order number of their shipment was." He softened his tone as he apologised.

"Sorry doesn't cut it, Sir," she fired back at Commander Keith, her voice finally breaking from the hours out in the sandstorm. "I was led on a ruse and treated as an outsider. Have I not already sacrificed enough here?"

"We'll talk about this when we're back in the city, Ella. Now is…"

Suddenly, the sound of an Airship breaking through the storm could be heard along with pulse rifles off in the distance. "It's the UEG! They've found us," McAllister yelled, grabbing his sidearm. "How'd they find us?"

Before any of them could react, Ella had already retrieved her pistol from her right thigh. It had been strategically hidden beneath her poncho so no one would notice until it was too late. She fired two quick rounds into Samuel, who was thrown back across the tent, crashing into his wine cabinet.

The second in command fell next as she whipped the right side of her poncho clear and fired multiple rounds, killing two additional officers in the process. Still McAllister and another remained, but soon the guards outside came rushing in behind her. Before they could register what was happening, she fired her left sidearm, shooting McAllister in the shoulder, making him drop his weapon. Spinning on her heels in one fluid motion, she brought both pistols to bear on each guard and shot them both.

The last remaining officer somehow managed to draw his weapon even despite his frantic panic and fired at Ella. Dropping to a knee behind the table, she returned fire, clipping him in the knee. As he dropped in pain, she fired again to finish him off.

Ella scanned the room for any remaining threats. There were none, but McAllister was rolling on the ground clutching the burning, neat hole in his shoulder. Keeping her sidearm trained on her target, she stood over him and placed a boot on his chest.

"UEG bitch," he spat at her. She only smiled as she leaned down towards him.

"A ROGUE bitch," she whispered with a smirk as she saw the fear creep into his eyes, his face growing pale in horror.

 **1720 HOURS**

Ella was still dressed in all her gear as the Airship flew through the sandstorm. She glanced around at the Special Ops Hunter Squad that joined her. There were seven men clad in rusty black armour with reflective black helmets and visors to protect and hide their identities. Hunter Squads were assigned to all ROGUE Operatives as their back-up and muscle and were partly responsible for establishing them as the most feared force in the UEG. It was very rare that anyone survived when they attacked or raided camps and strongholds.

McAllister could count himself lucky.

He sat in the back of the airlift handcuffed and hooded, an electric shocker strapped to his ankles to make sure he behaved himself in flight. Once they landed on the carrier, they would begin interrogation.

Ella stood by the door and looked out the window. All she could see was sand, but the monotonous scenery was better than trying to talk. No one talked. Ever. Still, McAllister was her prisoner, and despite protocol, she was not in the mood to go back to the carrier group, especially with such a high valued prisoner. He could offer them insight on what the Rebels were planning along with where all the weapon shipments had gone. Ella's gut knew that something big was going down. She'd been a ROGUE class Operative for nearly three and half years now, and in that time, most things the Rebels had resorted to were attacks on the border outposts and raiding classified transports, bases and convoys. The terror groups were hunted down by other Agents, and Spec Ops would operate mostly against The Empire or provide close security.

Only on rare occasions would they clash together, and ROGUES would get final choice in the matter; a decision most hated. Probably because they couldn't make the cut to be a ROGUE in the first place. When they'd left the compound she'd been working undercover in, Ella had requested that the prisoner be brought back to Sky Command, and she was still awaiting the pilot to inform her if she would get access.

"Ma'am," the pilot spoke over the intercom. Ella made her way up to the cockpit. "Ma'am I have Sky Command on the comm."

"S Command, this is the Chameleon," she stated. "I have an HVT in my custody. I'm inbound to Carrier Group Delta One. Request permission to deviate."

"Permission denied, Chameleon," came the curt reply. "Proceed with HVT to Delta One and interrogate there. S Command access is OB."

"Sir, with respect, we have a Code RD1. I again request permission to come aboard," she pressed, growing increasingly frustrated at the stupid bureaucratic security procedures. There was a few moments of silence, but the comm crackled once again.

"Permission granted. Proceed to forty thousand feet."

"Roger that." Ella passed the comm back to the pilot. "Proceed to forty thousand feet,' she said, tapping his shoulder before heading back to the squad. "Strap in boys, we're going up."

The squad hooked themselves in, and Ella fastened herself to her seat. The pilot gave the last minute warning as the airship tilted vertically and the boosters blasted them straight up. Ella looked out the window, and in a few seconds the sand gave way to a clear blue sky. A few more seconds passed and she could move her muscles again as the airship levelled off. Just as she unclipped her straps, she saw Sky Command come into view.

Sky Command, or S Command, was a floating Air Carrier fortress, which looked like something straight out of a Sci-Fi movie. It could hold ten thousand personal, mobile, and armoured infantry; an entire air strike force; and thousands of troops. Only one of three built.

Delta One was stationed over the Middle East and Africa, Delta two over Europe, and Delta three was the home base that protected the states. The only structure larger than the S Commands was The Citadel. Little was known of where and what it was, but it was rumoured to house most of the UEG defence forces, all the Cabinet heads, and a few extra persons that had secured their spots through obscene levels of wealth.

The airship landed on the deck, and the squad jumped out in formation, always ready to go regardless if they were on friendly turf. Ella pushed McAllister out ahead of her and gripped him tight around the arm as the deck officer came towards them with a marine escort. Ella was more interested in the Special Ops officer that accompanied them, however. Zachary Goode. She couldn't help but notice that he hadn't changed since their last meeting.

"Agent, we'll take the prisoner from here," the deck officer stated, and she reluctantly let them take McAllister. Her eyes never left Zach's as she ordered her squad to go along with the prisoner, following the deck officer and Zach inside. It was warm and smelled fresh. Different than what she was used to. She'd almost forgotten that lovely smells even existed.

"Agent, I must ask that you remove your clothes before entering the chamber. We need to hose you down for radiation and chemicals." Ella nodded and waited for them both to move on. When she was alone, she unrobed quickly and stepped into the chamber. When the radiation chemicals sprayed her body, she tensed from the cold chill, still a little anxious about her appearance. It had been a long time since she'd had her last shower, and she couldn't help but cover her delicate spots in shy embarrassment.

"Arms out wide. Keep your legs apart. Remain still as you are desensitised," the female A.I. voice commanded her. Ella huffed and did as it asked. When she reached the end of the chamber, a robotic arm handed her a light blue robe to replace her old clothes that had already been tossed into a furnace.

"Step on to the sensor pad to be identified." Again, Ella did as she was instructed, allowing the system to complete its scan. Zach silently entered the room, his eyes scanning her as well. He remained quiet as the identification process completed.

"Scan complete. Identification verified. Welcome aboard, Agent Cameron Morgan"

 **1800 HOURS – Sky Command – Dormitory**

Cameron stood in the shower, allowing the hot water to soothe and massage her skin. She shut her eyes and leaned against the cool wall, her thoughts drifting over everything but focusing on the theories that might explain the how, why and what the Rebels were planning. She hadn't even realized how much her forehead must have creased in thought until she moved to wash her hair again. Her forehead hurt. Her brain hurt. Her body hurt.

Heaving a sigh, she gurgled some water before spitting it out. Most of the sand and dirt was gone now, but she still couldn't shake the feeling of being constantly filthy. The minutes continued to tick by, and she knew she'd lost track of how long she'd been in the shower, but she didn't care. She needed this. It had been so long, and she was tired.

Her thoughts drifted again as she shut her eyes. She saw faces. Friendly not hostile. They were familiar, but she couldn't put names to them. Like some long forgotten memory. Perhaps they weren't even real. Perhaps she never had friends.

"No," she whispered to herself. "There's Zach. He's my friend. He's always been there for me." His image appeared in her thoughts, and a new mood settled in that comforted her. "Hi, Zach." Cammie chuckled softly, speaking to the image of Zach in her mind.

Cammie finally managed to finish the shower, drying herself with a preferred towel instead of using the auto body dryer. She was so used to not having the technology available for everything. Tossing the towel on the double bed, she ignored putting on anything heavy and dressed in a comfortable black tank top, underwear, and army issued PT tracksuit bottoms. Tying her hair into a ponytail, she smiled, glad to have her natural light brown hair colour again. Just as she collapsed onto the bed, more than ready for a few hours' sleep, her room's A.I disturbed her.

"Agent Morgan, Major Goode is requesting access to your dorm. Shall I comply?"

"Let him in," Cammie croaked. As she sat up and rested on the edge of the bed, her bare feet tickled against the carpet. She watched her door slide open with a faint hiss as Zach stepped in. She felt a new warmth surge through her as he stood at the entrance, leaning against the wall. As usual, he was dressed in uniform, the attire crisp as ever. Not a single crease anywhere. He was perfect.

"Major?" Cammie questioned softly. "Is my prisoner ready for interrogation?"

Zach merely smirked. "Always work with you, Cammie." He watched as her hands fell to her thighs, her gaze dropping from his. "Sorry, Cammie. I didn't mean it like that." He walked towards the edge of her bed.

"It's ok, Zach. You're right." Her voice was hoarse and crooked. Gone was the sweetness that Zach remembered from their days at Gallagher Academy. It pained him to think of what she had to go through every day to protect innocent people. She finally looked back up at him. "I missed you, Zach."

He nodded in agreement. "I missed you too, Cammie." He swallowed hard and looked away until he could compose himself again. "Were you hurt? Did they hurt you?" he questioned, his tone dark but caring. Cammie shook her head.

"No they didn't hurt me. The injuries I have are just the usual from my mission."

"How long?" he asked, and she furrowed her brows at him. "How long since you last saw home?"

"Four years."

"Jesus, Cammie," Zach groaned. "Why did you do it?"

"It's the sacrifice we make so that…" she started.

"Oh don't give me that crap, Cammie. It's all bullshit. All of it," he said, his voice growing louder, his tone stern and harsh.

"You must at least believe part of it, Zach. You volunteered and serve too," Cammie fired back softly. Her voice sounded as if it had suffered as much as she had, and it quickly soothed Zach's hard demeanour.

"That's right. I volunteered, Cammie. I wasn't forced. There's no way I was going to let them decide my fate." He pointed out the door as if the "them" he spoke of were waiting right outside. "What they demanded of us at the academy wasn't for me."

"Is that why you decided to leave?"

"It's why I flunked out," he corrected her.

"It crushed me when you left," Cammie confessed, turning back to look at the floor. She curled and uncurled her toes and rubbed her thighs. Zach knelt down in front of her. "I cried for days at night," she whispered.

Zach reached out and brushed away a single tear from her cheek with his thumb. "Cammie, I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"It's ok," Cammie sniffed, quickly composing herself. "You're the only one that's been around when I get back. You're always here for me," she added, standing up and turning her back to him.

"It's not ok, Cammie. ROGUES must give all. We…you were trained to live outside the walls. Twenty years you're required to give them. Twenty years of your life, but in just three years, Cammie, you've already changed. I couldn't give them that. I knew I wanted to control my own life, my destiny. I can go home when I'm on leave. I can have a life beyond this. I can still have a piece of the life that I fight to protect. Gallagher trained us to give all that up. You can't ever return until your service is complete. Is it worth it?" Zach asked, getting to his feet.

"Someone has to do it. I have to do it." She kept her back to him, and Zach didn't press the matter.

"Have you eaten?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah I eh… enjoyed some chocolate pudding," Cammie smiled, remembering how good it tasted. "The shower wasn't so bad either." She turned back to Zach, and stared into his green eyes.

"Get some sleep, Cammie. You look tired. I'll be back when the prisoner is ready for you." He made his way passed her, but she called him back.

"Wait. I'm not that tired."

"Do you need me to order you to grab some sleep? Cause I will, Agent Morgan." Zach flashed her a friendly, but challenging smile. She smirked as her brown eyes narrowed.

"You couldn't order me. I outrank you. ROGUES outrank even Generals," Cammie puffed at him, arching a playful eyebrow. She watched as he stepped forward, closing the gap between them.

"ROGUES outrank in the field. On base or in UEG territory, it's all military rank and procedure. ROGUES don't fall under official military, so your rank is outranked. Besides," he smirked. "Technically you're classified as a spook or Intelligence operative only." His smirk remained, and Cammie could swear his eyes were laughing, but she wasn't about to back down.

"Gonna start measuring each other's dicks are we, Major?" The challenge threw Zach off, and he chuckled.

"Always the rebel, weren't you?" he asked. Cammie merely shrugged.

"Maybe it's why I fit in with them so easily," she whispered against his ear. Before he could reply, she knocked him flat on his back, easily pinning him beneath her. "Now how about you order me to kiss you, Major?" She didn't even wait for his answer, instantly pressing her lips against his. "Or am I being insubordinate?"

Zach leaned up to kiss her again, and she let him, her hands already loosening his perfectly groomed uniform. Everything about him was perfect. And that kiss. Definitely ranking in the top five.

"Cameron…," Zach managed to say between kisses. "Bit pointless you getting dressed after your shower." He gasped as she bit and sucked his earlobe.

"Not a bit," she whispered. "It's always better to unwrap a gift." He groaned as Cammie continued to take charge.

 **1 Hour Later**

"Cammie…Cammie. Cammie!" Zach shook Cammie's sleeping form. She finally started to stir and moan, so he shook her a little firmer.

"I'm up. I'm up," Cammie mumbled, turning over onto her back.

"Here," Zach handed Cammie her top. "Admiral wants us. Sounds like your prisoner is ready to talk."

Cammie immediately tossed off the sheets and bolted from the bed, pulling clothes together at lightning speed. She knew Zach was watching her, but she ignored him as she finished dressing. Instead of the tracksuit bottoms, she tossed on a pair of black combats, ignored putting on shoes, and strapped her phaser pistols to her thighs. She caught Zach watching intently, and she turned to him with a very cheeky look. When his eyes met hers, she winked at him with a smile.

"Quit that," he said as he finished dressing himself. "You ready?"

"Are you?" she countered.

The door hissed open, and she let Zach lead the way to the bridge. "Let's go."


	3. Chapter 2

**THE BRIDGE**

Following Zach from a small distance, Cammie took in the immense size of the Air Carrier. It had been styled after an Ocean Super Carrier, but it was still so much more spacious. The corridors were wide enough for three people at a time, and the doors were made of ballistic glass that always slid open with a hiss. However, those same entrances also had reinforced titanium doors which would seal off in the event of an emergency. Each section of the carrier was colour-coded, which made navigating a lot easier. The carrier was also split into two wings, left and right, which were further broken down into five sections. These sections served specific purposes with combat operations, mostly working the Right Wing. Maintenance, Research and Engineering worked on the Left Wing and each had their own sleeping quarters and a mess room. The only part where everyone could mingle was the lower deck where the R&R and entertainment was.

Cammie realised she was attracting a lot of unwanted attention, and she already knew why. It was very rare that anyone got to see a ROGUE. They were rare commodities, and usually her true identity was never this obvious. Whenever she completed past missions and was called in for debrief, they would have her secretly escorted to designated locations, usually keeping her face covered during the process. She didn't want to hide though, especially not when she was with Zach. She never wanted to hide herself from him.

"Cammie?" Zach turned to her, an edge of concern etched on his face. She continued walking, only partially registering his comment.

"Hmm? What?" she asked, spinning her head to look at him. His whispered chuckle made her arch an eyebrow.

"Nothing. Come on." He punched in the code for the Bridge, which had only one of a few doors with the glass fogged so no one could see inside. As the doors slid open, Cammie saw the Captain and her squad leader, Grant, arguing with each other. Grant paused when he heard them enter, catching Cammie's eye and looking to her for help. Then saw Zach, and his face contorted.

"What the hell is he doing here?" he grumbled, pointing at Zach who stood there casually.

"I want him here," Cammie replied defensively, but it lacked enough impact to get Grant to take the hint to lay off.

"Coward," Grant fired at Zach, taking an imposing step towards him. "You think because it's been years, I would just forgive and forget?" His words grew dark with a heated anger. Zach could see it was more than that though. He could sense the unforgiving sense of betrayal.

"Enough," Captain Bradford interrupted. His harsh, commanding voice startled Cammie, but Zach and Grant merely stared each other down for a few more seconds.

"He better not be involved in this," Grant added turning to Cammie and pointing back at Zach. Cammie glanced over to Zach who was still standing at ease. She turned back to Grant, rage burning in her eyes, deciding it was time to pull rank.

"If that's how you feel, then you are relieved of duty." Her words struck like a hot iron, and Grant immediately backed down. Cammie watched as Grant gave a reluctant nod in understanding.

"You're the boss," he said, looking between the three of them. "But the Captain here won't let us interrogate our prisoner."

"What?" Cammie asked, folding her arms and turning back to Captain Bradford.

Captain Neil Bradford was a very imposing man with an impressive thirty-year history with the Military. He graduated a Naval Officer and served in both wars. He was a man of experience and authority in every way imaginable. Tall and lean, he actually looked as if he could outdo most guys in a marathon run. Although he was getting on in years, his hair showed no signs of thinning, and only some small grey appeared amongst the black. Overall, he was still quite attractive.

"Why aren't we allowed, Sir?" Cammie pressed. "He's my prisoner. I know him, and I can make him give up information. I know how they all think." Bradford simply held up his large hand and gestured for them to follow him. Cammie allowed Zach to stay at the back while she and Grant flanked both sides of the Captain.

"I'm not excluding you, Agent Morgan. All I'm saying is that for this situation, I felt a professional interrogator was needed."

"Sir, with all due respect, I am a professional at extracting information," Cammie argued. "You have to trust me, Sir."

"I do not doubt your ability, Agent, as I already told your partner here. I know this interrogator personally and worked with her on many occasions. Major Goode was the one who introduced us a few years back while we were tracking stolen soviet nuclear warheads. She's definitely proven herself." He paused as they stopped for a door to open and let some crew members pass. "The interrogator is arriving in five minutes. She's been debriefed on the situation in flight."

"Sir, who's the interrogator? I'd like to speak with my prisoner first." Cammie said, stopping to look between Zach and Bradford.

"I'll let you add the questions you want answered, and you'll also be in communication with Agent Baxter as she interrogates the prisoner. You're just going to be behind the scenes. Like I said, I'm not excluding you, but agent Baxter is someone I trust, and she's very good at her job."

At the mention of Baxter, Cammie saw Grant relax a little. Cammie furrowed her eyebrows, still trying to put a face to the name. No one was coming to mind, and then she felt Zach give her the slightest of touches as he stepped closer to her.

"She went by Bex at the Academy," he whispered. Cammie suddenly remembered her fierce opponent. And also a good friend.

"I wonder if she's still single," Grant mused to himself, but everyone heard and looked at him. "Just curious," he added defensively.

They walked from the Bridge to the flight deck entry bay. When the doors opened Cammie saw Agent Baxter already passing the ID scan. When she had finished, she grabbed her kit and shook the Captain's hand and hugged Zach. Grant had a wide smile, but Cammie was more interested in watching the interaction with her friends. It was different from what she was used to. Bex's eyes met hers, and her smile faded. Cammie noted that she still looked gorgeous and many would probably mistake her for a celebrity if it weren't for the muscular upper body build she had. It wasn't anything extreme, but you could definitely see the muscular bulges where her black uniform contoured to her figure.

Bex walked up to Cammie and stood in front of her, her gaze unmoving as she dropped her kit on the ground. Cammie tensed and made fists with her hands, not sure of what was going to happen next. Bex noticed the small shift in her posture, like a boxer waiting for the starting bell. She smiled and shocked Cammie by giving her a huge hug that nearly squeezed the life from her.

"I've missed you, Cammie," she said, finally letting go so she could breathe again.

"Yeah I've missed you too, Bex." Cammie wheezed.

"Hey, Bax…" the sudden hard slap across his face nearly knocked him out. Grant was left leaning against the bulkhead rubbing his swollen cheek.

"That was for when we were in Manchester, you oaf." Bex fired at him before picking up her kit again. "Now then…where's my prisoner?"

Interrogation

"How long has he been in there?" Bex asked to no one in particular.

"An hour, give or take," Zach replied. "When we brought him in, we had him scanned before bringing him to medical to check for any contagious bacteria or biological hazards. He was clean, though his radiation level was a little more than expected."

"Has he talked yet?" Bex asked as she watched him from the monitor room behind the mirrored window. She, Zach, Cammie, and Grant were the only ones present. Captain Bradford had returned to the Bridge after he had walked with them to interrogation.

"We questioned him only a little," Zach continued, his eyes narrowing to watch the prisoner. They shifted to Bex who was concentrating hard on his reactions. "We got his name, the name of the group within the Rebels that he worked for, and the location where the stolen weapons were going. Other than that he's been quiet." Zach shrugged and rubbed his neck. Walking behind Bex to the screens that monitored his pulse and brain activity, he noticed Cammie had moved up to the window. Her facial expression was angry. An expression he noticed a lot.

"Ok, I'm going in," Bex stated after a few more quick observations. "Cammie, you feed me what you know. Zach, monitor his reactions to our questions. Grant…" She turned to Grant who was hiding in the back of the room. "Grant, you come with me and wait outside the door. I may need you for physical aspects." She noticed a small smile appear on his face, but ignored it.

When Bex entered, she saw the prisoner tense a little. It was a common reaction, especially considering most prisoners were fearful of physical interrogations and torture. Despite its known results, she wasn't a fan of the technique. Although she wasn't exactly opposed to dislocating a shoulder or wrist if necessary either.

She had conducted hundreds of interrogations; everything from controlled to field to rapid to enhanced interrogations. All called for a different approach, and she was always keenly aware which way a prisoner would tick. This one was noble to his cause, but still young and weak. Probably strong in the face of harsh conditions. His belief somewhat solid, most officers with these Insurrectionists lived slightly better than the lower ranks. The Insurrectionists were more than just a fighting force. They offered better living conditions than what they were grouped with.

It was a great tool for recruitment, but she'd made many turn their loyalties in favour of better living conditions. This one might just do the same. If not, then she still had a number of available methods to crack him.

Bex took a seat across from him and handed him a small plastic cup of water. He ignored it, which she quickly made note of. He didn't trust her. She'd usually start with earning trust, but this time she was on a schedule to find out what he knew. Before she could even introduce herself though, she heard Cammie crackle in her ear.

"Ask him who and what the weapons were for," Cammie stated, impatiently shuffling back and forth. Zach watched her from his seat, noting she was still tired. She always walked back and forth when she was exhausted.

"I'm sure you're aware of what we want to know," Bex began in a soft and kind tone. Her dialogue remained formal but she tempered it with a relaxed posture. She focused on his eyes, watching his reactions closely. Her approach was intentionally non-threatening since she needed him relaxed. "I, however, only wish to know your name." She smiled. "You do have a name?"

"I think you already know my name," McAllister said, leaning forward. "Your Intelligence services are good at watching us. Invading our privacy and wanting to control us. You're puppets of your masters." His response dripped with venom.

"He hates me. No surprise there," Bex thought to herself. "You work for a ghost. A man no one has seen or even heard of since the war. Some even say he was killed in the final battle, yet you obey and do what you're told without objection. You partake in brainwashing and swear fealty to someone who's never revealed himself. You condemn and blame innocent people for your own predicament. You believe that a violent past full off death is the right way to live, and finally you do his bidding and die when he commands. You want to tell me again who the puppet is here?" Bex fired at him, her posture switching to challenge his.

"I'm a soldier. I do what I do and obey orders," he defended himself. "I don't expect you to understand. You don't know our world."

"And what exactly do you know of ours?" Bex asked. She decided to switch her questioning to a more political approach. She needed him to open up, and this tactic seemed to be working. With any luck, he'd boast his pride and slip up, giving away the information out of anger.

"I know more than you think. You live a privileged life and deny the horrors that you did to achieve it. You remain blind to the corrupt will and rule of your leaders who are behind everything that has happened since the very beginning. You are unwilling to accept the truth. Instead you imprison and silence those who speak it. You preach false worships and claim hold to the lies that you live." McAllister's words spat out like acidic venom. It was obvious he truly hated her, but Bex merely smiled.

"You sound so sure, and yet we were not the ones who started the war. You were also the ones that lost it."

"The war is not over."

"And there we have it," Bex said leaning back in her chair. "You stick to living a violent life full of hate and death because in your world the strong prey on the weak, dominating and controlling them. You decide what is right and wrong, and if they displease you, you're the ones that ensure they are cut off." Her words were full of disgust.

"YOU LIE!" McAllister spat, enraged as he tried to make a leap for Bex. The cuffs kept him secured in his chair though, and soon he settled back down.

"Bex, stop it," Cammie reprimanded her through the earpiece. "You're getting off topic. We need to know what he knows. Ask him what the weapons were for? Who supplied them?"

"Our undercover Agent told us how you got the weapons and where they were going. We need to know two things, McAllister," she addressed him by name, and he calmed himself again. "What were the weapons for? Are you arming the populace again? What would you need with all the first-grade, high-tech weapons and equipment? Who supplied the information on where to get them?" Bex asked, her voice flat and monotone. She already knew he wasn't going to give her a straight answer.

"I won't betray the cause," he responded before laughing.

Bex had just decided she needed to up the game a little and was about to signal for Grant to enter when the door was suddenly thrown open, and Cammie stormed in holding her sidearm. She made her way to McAllister and pointed it directly at his head. Grant followed, his own hand readily on his holstered Phaser pistol. Bex was taken aback by Cammie's sudden approach. Switching her focus to Cammie, she was about to ask what was she doing, but then she noticed the fear in McAllister's eyes. Was he afraid of dying or was he afraid of Cammie?

"What is your primary objective? WHAT IS YOUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE?" Cammie yelled at him.

"Kill me. Go on, do it, Ella. You UEG whore," McAllister growled venomously.

"You think I won't?" Cammie leaned down near his ear. "You think I care what you shits want? I know you're afraid of me. You know what I've done and what I am capable of doing. Look into my eyes and see if I'm bluffing. LOOK!" Cammie screamed, and McAllister turned away nervously. What he must have seen, Bex didn't want to know.

"I… I won't betray the cause," McAllister barely whimpered out. Cammie stood up and pulled out an electronic data pad. She placed it on the table in front of him. His eyes widened as he turned on Cammie, trying to break out his restraints. "I'll kill you, Ella. Don't you dare touch her. I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU IF YOU TOUCH HER!" McAllister screamed.

"Give me the information I want, and she'll be safe, McAllister. I want a name, a target, and a date. Give me something now, or else. If you make me kill you, know this: you'll never know what will happen to your sister."

"You can't do this…' McAllister began to weep. "She's innocent. You can't."

"Don't assume I can't do it. After all…we're evil, remember?" Cammie tapped her pistol to his head for emphasis. "Tell me something now," she warned and started to count down from three.

"Ok, ok, ok," McAllister relented, gathering himself with a sniff. "When we got to the city, I was being bumped up for promotion. It was my job to lead a special team, handpicked from the best of the best infiltrators. You know how we deem promotions. An impossible mission in which we must pass. If I managed it, I would receive my promotion to the high ranks and lead my own army group."

"What was the mission? Why did you need the weapons?" Bex cut in, making brief eye contact with Cammie.

"I honestly don't know what the mission was. I was due to find out sometime tomorrow. And as for the weapons, they were essential for the mission. To help us pass security and strike a blow at the UEG. The other weapons were to be issued among our armies to help us combat more effectively."

"Cammie," Bex said softly, gesturing for her to lower her weapon. Cammie reluctantly complied, taking a few steps back until she was beside Bex.

"That's how you get them to talk," she whispered in Bex's ear before turning and walking out the room. Grant looked at Bex before followed Cammie out.

Bex watched as McAllister cried some more. "I know nothing else," he confessed, but Bex already knew she had the information she needed. She'd pieced the clues together even with very little from McAllister. She knew their target. A strike at the UEG indeed.

She exited the interrogation room and joined Cammie and Grant in the observation room. They stood watching the prisoner, content with themselves while Zach stood in the back, eyes wide in shock. Bex could definitely relate.

"What the hell was that, Cammie?" she asked, enraged and pointing at McAllister through the mirror.

"You weren't getting anywhere, Baxter," Cammie threw back in her defence. "I got the information we needed. Be thankful, and let's figure out what it means."

"I was softening him up. We don't need him to hate us more and close down. If we develop a relationship, he'll willingly cooperate without overthinking everything. What if he'd refused to talk in there, and why did you threaten his sister? She's an innocent girl, Cammie," Bex yelled.

"Well he's damn well softened up now," Cammie yelled back as Bex glanced at the still sobbing McAllister. "You don't know these people like I do. They always have something they're fighting for. Something more than just their dumb cause. More personal. I knew his because they open up to each other. Their weakness is that they care. What I did wasn't wrong. It was necessary." Cammie looked over at Grant who nodded his approval, but when she turned to Zach, she noticed how distant he seemed. He was obviously disgusted.

"It was necessary. I'm not evil," Cammie thought to herself, but even then she realised the truth. She really had changed.

"Well…," Bex said, breaking the awkward silence. "I know what their target is. It's the Citadel."

They all stood in silence a moment before the questions came.

"The Citadel?" Zach repeated.


End file.
